Something to watch out for… I’m sure I’ve already seen packets of cooked meats marked “sans nitrites/ates” or similar…
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I just read in my France Bleu app (haven’t worked out how to give a link to it) that even the brands marked “sans nitrites” may have no chemical additives, but contain substances that have naturally occurring nitrates/nitrites in them, so not really good either!
So far only a few types of mass produced ham and chicken in supermarkets, which I wouldn’t really buy as not high welfare standards. Although perhaps I should to encourage the market…Sadly France is a bit behind other countries on this one.
But have to my joy discovered a butcher - charcuterie - éleveur not that far away with an amazing range of self made products from his own happy (I believe) pigs. Even non-meat eating OH was impressed. We bought some ham that was juicy, not too smoked or salty, and totally delicious! So even if the Fleury Michon plastic packets are better for me I’m unlikely to swap now.
As far as I’m concerned if I only have meat once every 10 days or so that’s completely reasonable.
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@Rachman I suspect it’s going to be a case of reducing the risks… if one can’t remove it altogether… we already know that moderation in all things, is the answer for many of us…
As usual, the government will water down the policy due to lobbying from the meat transformation industry.
I was first told about the link between nitrates and nitrosamines, and the corresponding suspected link to colon cancer back in 1977 by my then school class tutor. Here we are, 45 years on, still deciding whether to do something about it.
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To be fair… it seems that something is already being done… in as much as there are European regulations limiting how many mg per kilo is allowed to be added… currently 150mg/kilo…
and France’s regulation is currently below that threshold; it only allows 120mg/kilo…
Let’s hope France will reduce the threshold even more.
If it is possible to have the product without any nitrates etc then (presumably) so much the better… (?)
It seems that many things in our lives can-be/are dangerous to our health and I’m sure most of us will do our best to avoid the bad-stuff…
If the industry sold the products as they really look once they have been prepared, instead of tarting them up, you can be pretty sure people would avoid buying them 
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The additive used is called ‘Prague Powder’. The #1 powder is used for uncured meats, and the #2 powder is for cured meats. Been used for hundreds of years. I use it when curing my English bacon, but only in extremely small quantities. I think it does enhance the flavour of the bacon, and it’s what gives the bacon it’s distinctive pink colour.
Just eat less nitrate filled cured meats? Consumer power can change behaviours. Last time I was in Waitrose the bacon and sausage shelves were full of additive free, free range etc etc stuff. If that can trickle down to the budget supermarkets, the way it did for a time which free range chicken, then manufacturers will chnge.
Curing salt with dye in it isn’t it? Or Saltpeter which deffo keeps things pink? (Saltpeter is usually KNO3 but sometimes NaNO3 and even other compounds)
So, a dab of beetroot juice… onto the ham… might make it look pretty and do no harm ??
To kill off botulism? Where is the paper that ljnks the two, read a few over the years but definite link to cancer.
Vegetarian diets contatin a lot of nitrates which could loose an oxygen molecule to become nitrite.
Loads of veg processed food contains it but no fuss made there.
Yeah? Could you explain more about this?
Its naturally occuring apparently ?
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There’s lots of nitrate free options, but the first rule is don’t buy industrial supermarket charcuterie, even if it’s not sold in a packet. In addition to the nitrates and God knows what else they use, you’re also inadvertently supporting industrial pig farming, which should generate as much approbation and disgust as battery chickens do.
Instead, find a local artisanal butcher who sells dry-cured, cold smoked bacon, the flavour’s so much better and it doesn’t release all that white stuff during cooking (similar rule with salmon - buy wild or organically farmed). We buy our nitrate-free jambon de Paris on the local market from a producteur who raises just a few pigs.
Or even better still, make your own!
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Trying to find out more about the nitrate threat, as earlier veg can contain a lot but no mention of a health risk so is there a real conection or just rumour.
Yes to all the rest.
When we first moved to France we were fairly indiscriminate about charcuterie and used to assume that a very local small brand that was sold on the market must be ‘better’ because it was small and local. However, haven’t bought anything of theirs for years because even though they’re small and local, they’re not artisanal and are essentially small, local and industrial.
Re veg, apart from Spanish avos, lemons and oranges, we buy very locally from the people who grow them, who are in varying levels of organic - seems very vague here compared to UK’s Soil Association certification.
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AFAIK, there’s no actual evidence that nitrates/nitrites have any efficacy against botulism. They do help keep various bacteria/fungi at bay.
Some Prague powders do have artificial colourings in them. The one I use uses pink salt instead. What makes the salt pink, I’ve no idea.
Prague powder #1 is mostly just salt (NaCl) with a small amount of Sodium Nitrite. Saltpetre is Potassium Nitrate. Not sure what’s in Prague powder #2 as I’ve never used it.